Who will reign as the 50th Miss Manteca?
That answer — along with who will secure other Manteca Youth Focus titles — will be answered during the 2018 scholarship competition taking place Saturday, June 23, at 2 p.m. at the Calvary Community Church on Lathrop Road. Tickets are $10 online at mantecayouthfocus.com or at the door.
The competition, under the direction of MYF board members Douglas Scott, Kristin Scott, and Amanda Rosas will feature the current reigning titleholders including Christina Arcos - Miss Manteca, Gabriel Ortega - Manteca City Ambassador, Nicklau Pio - Teen Manteca City Ambassador, Danielle Grabowski - Miss Young Manteca, and Dylan Owens - Young Manteca City Ambassador Dylan Owens.
In addition to the sparkling crowns and shining medals awarded, every youth participant in each of the three age divisions will earn an educational scholarship with top prizes of $1500 going to Miss Manteca, $500 each to Miss Teen Manteca and Teen Manteca City Ambassador and $200 for Miss Young Manteca. Each will also earn an All-Star Award in the phase of competition they earned their personal best. The phases of competition for all ages include 20% each for Community Service and Scholastic Achievement, and 15% each for Personality Interview, Stage Arts, Impromptu Question and Community Advocacy Speech.
Let’s meet the young men and women of achievement vying for the titles this year:
Miss Manteca 2018 Contestants (Open to ages 16-20):
M1 Molly Dua, Age 16
School: Manteca High
Sponsors: Komal Gupta Notary Public; Erin Shimmer & Paparazzi; Spreckels Park Dental; Leonard Photography; and Fairway Financial Mortgage Real Estate.
Stage Arts: Polynesian dance
M2 Charissa Goodman, Age 18
School: Recent graduate of Sierra High School; will attend Sacramento State
Sponsor: Bron Tapes
Stage Arts: Dance
M3 Ashlynn Nussbaumer, Age 16
School: Big Valley Christian High School in Modesto
Sponsor: Farmers Insurance Agent – Debra Van Essen
Stage Arts: Monologue
M4 Carolina Ortega, Age 20
School: University of the Pacific Eberhardt School of Business
Sponsor: Mundo De Fantasia Formal Wear
Stage Arts: Vocal
Teen Manteca City Ambassador Candidate for 2018 (Open to ages 13-15):
TA1 Josiah Lott, Age 13
School: River Islands Technology Academy in Lathrop
Sponsor: Uplifting Athlete Performance
Stage Arts: Football demo
Miss Teen Manteca 2018 Contestants (Open to ages 13-15):
T1 Jena Arehart, Age 15
School: Manteca High School
Sponsor: Carolyn Cardoza Broker/Realtor
Stage Arts: Vocal
T2 Ixaret Avina, Age 13
School: Mossdale Elementary in Lathrop
Sponsor: H & R Realty
Stage Arts: Vocal
T3 Arveen Birdi, Age 13-year
School: River Islands Technology Academy in Lathrop
Sponsor: The Birdi and Singh families
Stage Arts: Classical Bollywood dance
T4 Katie Kotch, Age 14
School: Manteca High
Sponsor: Larry’s Backflow Prevention Service
Stage Arts: Vocal
Miss Young Manteca 2018 Contestants (Open to ages 10-12)
Y1 Sopie Cockriel, Age 10
School: St. Anthony’s
Sponsor: the Cockriel family
Stage Arts: Vocal
Y2 Lauren Cross, Age 11
School: Walter Woodward Elementary
Sponsor: the Grabowski and Navarro families
Stage Arts: Vocal
Y3 Madilyn Garrison, Age 11 years
School: Ripon Christian
Sponsor: Howard Miller, DPM and Steve Garrison Plumbing
Stage Arts: Dance.
Y4 Alani Mullenix, Age 11 years
School: St. Anthony’s
Sponsor: George Shiao, DMD, Janice Liao, DMD, and the Mallorca Family
Stage Arts: Vocal
Y5 Mallory Myers, Age 11
School: Great Valley Academy
Sponsor: Guido’s Take-U-Bake Pizza and Dowell-Hoogendoorn Chiropractic
Stage Arts: Flute
Manteca has so much to be proud of in remembering and honoring our Miss Manteca’s of the past and present. They are excited to celebrate the vibrant 50-year history at the upcoming competition on Saturday. Hosted by MYF alumi Matt Vaughan and Dan Lansford, former Manteca City Ambassadors and California State Ambassadors, the program will feature entertainment and special appearances by over 20 Miss Manteca’s, the single largest gathering of the titleholders ever. In addition to the phenomenal presentation of the contestants on-stage, Miss Manteca 1970, Rhonda Behlen-Waddell will also help lead the impromptu question portion of the competition. Tickets are just $10 and available for purchase online at mantecayouthfocus.org or at the door.
Still looking for more fun facts about Miss Manteca? More than 80% have gone on to pursue higher education. There have been two mother-daughter duos who each served as Miss Manteca; Paula Langum-Fonseca and her daughter, Amber Fonseca (1977 and 2005 respectively), and Shim Lacy and her daughter, Victoria Watson (1990 and 2011 respectively). There has also been one set of Miss Manteca siblings, the Priest sisters, Kristina (2001-02) and Michelle (2004). Two Miss Manteca’s earned the title of Miss San Joaquin County, 1968 Karla Anderson-Bishop and 1978 Marcie Hansen, four Miss Manteca’s went on to become Miss California State, 2000 Amber Adams-Campbell, 2001-02 Priest-Stamper, 2009 Amanda Rosas and 2012 Myklyn Balmut, and one is the current reigning Mrs. California – 1990 Shim Lacy. Please visit mantecayouthfocus.org for complete listing of Miss Manteca’s throughout history. Also visit the Manteca Historical Society Museum for a complete array of Miss Manteca portraits and memorabilia.